Written by John Schulian
Directed by T.J. Scott
This episode provides examples of:
- Achilles' Heel: Unsurprisingly, the water-based Enforcer can't handle her successor's fire ability. What had been a fairly even fight goes very poorly for her once this happens.
- Always a Child to Parent: Upon learning the backstory, Alcmene gets very concerned about Hercules being alone with the original Enforcer.
- Armor-Piercing Question: During the reunion between father and son.Iolaus: Don't you wanna know what happened to Mother?
Skouros: I-I don't think about her much.
Iolaus: Did you ever? - Armor-Piercing Response: After Iolaus is done Calling the Old Man Out, what Skouros says makes it less satisfying and leaves the hunter troubled.Iolaus: Have a nice afterlife, Dad.
Skouros: No, I don't think I will. Not now. - Back from the Dead: To help Hercules take down the new model, Hades revives the original Enforcer.
- Badass Boast: With the Enforcer dead and Jason injured, Hercules intends to face Enforcer II alone.Alcmene: There's been enough tragedy for one day.
Hercules: I've never backed away from Hera before. I'm not about to start now. - Big "NO!": Hercules after seeing Iolaus is dead.
- Bittersweet Ending: Iolaus is revived, and the Enforcer gets to go the Elysian Fields along with Iolaus's father. Hercules still mourns his family, but he feels renewed purpose to keep up his work.
- Black Eyes of Evil: Subverted. The Enforcer retains her black eyes, but this time, she's Herc's ally. She's loyal to him the whole way through.
- Breath Weapon: Enforcer II's preferred way of demonstrating her fire powers. She even uses it to encircle the group in a ring of fire inside the Sophia Caves.
- Call-Back:
- Hercules says he hasn't visited the graves in about two years, which he feels rather ashamed about. Him resolving to make up for that leaves Iolaus on his own when Enforcer II comes knocking.
- When demanding Iolaus be revived, Hercules cites how much he did to help Hades and Persephone be together.
- Iolaus's father being killed in battle was mentioned very recently. He ended up in a realm of the Underworld dedicated to soldiers that can never let the fight go.
- Calling the Old Man Out: Iolaus denounces his father as a coward for walking out on a wife and son. Skouros's reaction leaves Iolaus not feeling as satisified as he thought he would be.
- Characterization Marches On: Skouros says "you kids" when apologizing to Iolaus for abandoning the family. Iolaus having siblings was never confirmed one way or another previously, but later episodes and Young Hercules firmly assert that he is an only child.
- Celestial Bureaucracy: Hades describes Iolaus as "practically permanent inventory" now. Persephone counters that he's overworked, citing his paperwork as an example. She points out the new Enforcer's rampage will just further complicate his workload.
- Contrasting Replacement Character: The original Enforcer was an emotionless killer with a single-minded focus on following Hera's order to kill Hercules. Enforcer II is just as loyal to Hera, but she is far more sadistic and emotional, as well as tasked with further goals beyond killing the half-god. Also, whereas the original was made of water, the new one is made of fire.
- Crowd Chant: Thinking Hercules is dead, Enforcer II leads a devastating attack on the nearest village and proclaims victory for Hera. The mooks then begin chanting Hera's name.
- Darkest Hour: With Hercules presumed dead in the caves, Enforcer II turns her attention to any mortal in her path. She and her mooks devastate the nearest village, creating mass panic. Even Hera's later coup didn't inspire this much fear among mortals.Enforcer II: This is just the start, now that Hercules is dead. There'll be no more backsliding in worship and no one to stand in our way. Soon, the entire province will be ours and then all of Greece. For Hera!
Mooks: [pumping their fists] Hera! Hera! Hera! Hera! - Deadpan Snarker: Hades. He quips about Hercules and the Enforcer being acquainted. He later makes light of Iolaus's angst about his father, though Persephone yells at him for that.
- Death Is Cheap: The third of four times for Iolaus, as he dies from the beating that Enforcer II gave him. As Hercules races to revive him, Iolaus spends his time in the Underworld interacting with his father and coming to terms with their history.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Iolaus passes out, while being cradled by Hercules.
- Don't Ask: Hercules's reaction to Alcmene asking how he knows the Enforcer.
- Don't Make Me Destroy You: Enforcer II when questioning Iolaus, though only because she doesn't want to waste the time and energy on him.Enforcer II: Last chance, little man. Where's Hercules?!
- Dramatic Irony: Despite having died more than once already, Iolaus had never met Hades until now.
- Due to the Dead:
- Hercules regrets not visiting his family's graves for the last couple years, saying that wasn't right no matter how much it hurt to be there and that he should do more to fix the area up. He makes a second visit at the end of the episode, wherein he drops off flowers and is shown to have cleaned up the place.
- Jason and Alcmene meet up with Hercules, while he's visiting the graves the first time. Alcmene brought flowers.
- In the immediate aftermath of his death, Jason commends Iolaus for holding on long enough to warn Hercules of a new threat.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Hercules and Iolaus identity their old hometown as Thebes. However, Alcmene's farm had previously been shown to be within easy walking distance of Herc's old homestead. Later episodes and Young Hercules state she and Iolaus's family had always lived in Corinth's territory, so this Thebes exposition is quietly ignored. For good measure, Iolaus is even identified as "of Corinth" in a Season 4 episode.
- Elite Mooks: Subverted. Enforcer II is backed up by guys in Devil-themed attire and their grunts are given a warble effect to suggest they're not human, but when it's time to fight the heroes, they display no special powers or strength. Jason even manages to kill one with a dagger to the chest like any normal person. This changes in their next appearance.
- Emotionless Girl:
- Downplayed with the original Enforcer this time. She retains a mostly monotone voice and unfazed expression, but she displays a bit more emotion this time, such as her confusion over Alcmene crying and her death scene with Hercules.
- Averted by Enforcer II, who is quite prone to maniacal laugher and enjoying the torment she causes.
- "Eureka!" Moment: While trying to escape the fire in the Sophia Caves, Hercules gets an idea when looking at the water-based Enforcer.
- Everyone Has Standards: Hades deriding Enforcer II as "Hera's latest homicidal freak" indicates he doesn't think much of Hera's practices.
- Everyone Hates Hades: Averted, as per usual. Hades is initially opposed to reviving Iolaus, but purely because of the job and the rules. He even asserts that Iolaus is going to the Elysian Fields. His deal with Hercules entails getting rid of the new Enforcer (who he acknowledges is a deadly threat to all mortals) and providing some extra muscle. He even extends mercy to Skouros for learning a lesson.
- Evil Redhead: The new Enforcer has very red hair and very much enjoys wreaking havoc.
- Fiery Redhead: Subverted by the new Enforcer. She has very red hair, is literally made of fire, and clearly enjoys her work, but she actually has complete control over her temper. She beats Iolaus into the ground, but she barely raises her voice in response to his continued defiance. Even losing a hand to her predecessor doesn't cause her to lose control.
- Fights Like a Normal: Enforcer II for most of her fights. She only really breaks out the fire after the original manages to slice off a hand.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Hercules says the Enforcer earned his everlasting friendship by protecting Alcmene.
- Forgiveness: Skouros apologizing for abandoning the family and admitting how much shame he felt for it prompts Iolaus to forgive him.
- Friendship Moment: Hercules thanks the Enforcer for saving Alcmene, saying that will always make them friends.
- From Bad to Worse: In the Sophia Caves, Enforcer II surrounds the group with fire. Then she seals the only entrance.
- God Save Us from the Queen!: Hera rains down Shock and Awe on a village, causing a massive fire simply because the locals weren't taking care of her nearby temple. While Enforcer II's main job is to kill Hercules, she's also been tasked with teaching the locals a lesson about proper worship and bending all of Greece to Hera's will.
- Healing Factor: Both Enforcers can repair damage done to their skins, but the original's factor simply can't overcome a steady stream of fire.
- Henpecked Husband: Part of the reason that Hercules is able to work out a deal to save Iolaus is because Persephone is on their side and badgers Hades about this.Persephone: If you're not nicer, it's gonna be no months a year.
- Heroic BSoD: It's the second anniversary of when his family died, so Hercules is terribly depressed and feeling like nothing he does matters. It takes bringing down the second Enforcer and saving Iolaus to shake him of this.Hercules: [at Deianeira's grave] Tomorrow, Hera's just gonna destroy something else and the day after that... [beat] Things just seemed to make more sense when I had you and the children to hold.
- Heroic Sacrifice: The Enforcer holds off her successor so that Alcmene can escape. She's mortally wounded soon afterwards.
- Hidden Depths: Hercules recalls teaching his children to swim, noting how Ilea displayed a real aptitude for it at such a young age.Hercules: [wistfully] Ilea took to the water like a mermaid.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Hercules pierces Enforcer II's skin and causes the fire to come rushing out. He then uses a shield to push the stream of fire back into her, causing an overload.
- Hope Crusher: Enforcer II is introduced, after one villager tells Hera's mooks that they have Hercules to protect them. She vows to kill Hercules and reshape the world on Hera's behalf.
- I Want Grand Kids: Alcmene gently nudges Hercules towards this, asking him if he ever pictures settling down and starting a family again. Hercules admits it's always on his mind.
- Implacable Man: Er, woman. Iolaus gets in one good hit on the Enforcer II's face, and it hurt him doing so. Even Hercules's Super-Strength doesn't faze her.
- It's Personal: It's the second anniversary of the death of his family, so Hercules is not going to take Iolaus's death at the hands of a Hera creation lying down.
- Kneel Before Zod: After killing one man at the temple, Enforcer II demands the others bow down in the name of Hera. The assembled mooks force the issue.
- Lampshade Hanging:
- Hercules questions the sundown time limit and balks at Hades saying that's just the rule.
- The Enforcer is explicitly not human, but she's in the Underworld nonetheless. Hades remarks that Charon simply screwed up and took her across the River Styx.
- Left for Dead: After Iolaus refuses to reveal where Hercules is, Enforcer II beats him into submission and leaves him in the dirt. He hangs on just long enough to warn Hercules before dying of his wounds.
- Meaningful Echo: After the escape from the cave, the Enforcer was confused by Alcmene shedding Tears of Joy, thinking she was made of water. She doesn't understand Jason saying Alcmene's simply happy. She gets it later when Hercules thanks her for saving Alcmene and wipes her Single Tear away.Enforcer: Happy. [dies]
- Moment Killer: Hades notes it hasn't exactly been easy to romance his wife when the Enforcer keeps following them around.
- Momma's Boy: Iolaus is actually more angry about Skouros walking out on his mother than on him.
- My Significance Sense Is Tingling: While in the Sophia Caves, the Enforcer suddenly starts twitching and turns toward the entrance. She's sensed the arrival of her successor.
- Never Recycle Your Schemes: Averted. Hera redoes her Enforcer plan by tweaking what the creation is made of. Instead of Murder Water that could reform later, Enforcer II is made of fire, so a sword attack could lead to a burst of flame injuring or killing the attacker.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Enforcer II subjects Iolaus to one for refusing to reveal where Hercules is. He ultimately dies from his wounds.
- Noodle Incident: Persephone mentions a recent earthquake in Thracia. It was so deadly that Hades and his underlings are still struggling to sort it all out.
- The Nothing After Death: The Asphodel Caverns, very loosely based on the Asphodel Meadows from the original myths. Those who die in battle but could never let the fight go afterwards are sent there. They just endlessly bicker with each other in a dank cave about strategies and tactics. As demonstrated with Skouros, they could very well move on to the Elysian Fields if they just let it go and arrive at an epiphany relating to their old lives, but those that don't will stay there forever.
- Oh, Crap!: Iolaus, upon recognizing one of the dead generals as his father.
- Parents as People: Skouros admits he felt a great deal of shame for walking out on the family and was too ashamed to go back. Iolaus shows him forgiveness for owning up, feeling the old man's not perfect but nicer than previously thought.
- Pet the Dog: Hades granting both Skouros and the Enforcer passage to the Elysian Fields.Hades: I'm the king of sweetness.
- Playing with Fire: The new Enforcer has fire powers, which she uses to put down her water-based predecessor.
- Please Wake Up: After Iolaus passes out, Hercules shakes him and urges him to wake up. Jason has to tell Hercules that it's too late for that.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Enforcer II kills one man at the temple for attacking her, but she spares the others and even lets one run free. She wants people in the wider world to know she's arrived and that she intends to kill Hercules.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: As Enforcer II blasts her water-based predecessor with fire.Enforcer II: Oh, you're steamin' now.
- Race Against the Clock: Hades gives Hercules until sundown to take down the new Enforcer. If he succeeds, Iolaus is restored to life; if not, Iolaus is sent to the Elysian Fields for good.
- Rapid-Fire "No!": Hercules over Hades sending him back up with the Enforcer.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Appropriately, the fire-themed Enforcer II has these.
- Redemption Equals Death: One reason that Hades sends the Enforcer back up with Hercules is because her lack of a soul means he can't send her to any of the Underworld's assorted realms. Helping Hercules against the second Enforcer would make it possible for such a decision to be made. Her saving Alcmene gets her passage to the Elysian Fields.
- Sadist: Enforcer II loves her work, whether it's beating Iolaus into the dirt or preying on harmless villagers.
- Sadly Mythtaken: It was the Asphodel Meadows in the myths, not caverns, and it was pretty much what awaited most everyone in Greece. Ancient Greeks believed only the exceptionally good got to go the Elysian Fields and the exceptionally bad went to Tartarus, but the show had long since ignored that in favor of a more simple approach for all good and bad people.
- Say My Name: Hercules when demanding to see Hades.
- Single Tear: The Enforcer right before she dies, saying she's happy over Hercules calling her a friend.
- Skyward Scream: After Iolaus dies, Hercules does this when demanding an audience with Hades.
- Superior Successor: Though having equal Super-Strength and fighting moves, the new Enforcer outclasses the original by having full control of her elemental power. The Enforcer needs to be cut to break out water, whereas Enforcer II has a Breath Weapon. A one-on-one fight ends with the original's death. Hercules only barely manages to defeat Enforcer II with a guile trick.
- Talking to the Dead: In an early scene, Hercules visits his family's graves, talking about how much he misses them and his concerns about not accomplishing anything since they died. He returns there in the last scene, rededicating himself to his mission.
- Tears of Joy: Alcmene, after Hercules manages to save the group from the cave fire. The Enforcer is quite confused by this, due to only knowing leaking water as an injury of some kind. Jason tries to explain the concept to her, but it doesn't register, until right before her own death.
- This Cannot Be!: Iolaus's frustrated reaction to once again dying.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Cradling Iolaus, Hercules demands an audience with Hades. All of a sudden, both heroes are transported to Hades's castle in the Underworld. Iolaus wakes up in a panic and then wonders where he is.Iolaus: Why were you carrying me?
- Torture Is Ineffective: Though she clearly enjoyed the suffering she caused, Enforcer II is unable to beat any answers out of Iolaus. She eventually just gives up and leaves him to die.
- Trauma Button: Iolaus denouncing Skouros as a coward and saying his mother is better off without him really rattles the old man. It turns out he felt a great deal of shame for abandoning the family and never forgave himself for it.
- Unwanted Assistance: According to Hades, the Enforcer has been following after him and Persephone ever since arriving in the Underworld. Obeying gods, any gods, is all she knows.Hades: Always following us around like a guard dog, and I mean everywhere.
- Wham Line: While waiting by the Ashpodel Caverns, Iolaus is approached by one of the dead generals and asked what he's doing there.Iolaus: Hello to you, too, Dad.
- Wham Shot: Hercules encountering the original Enforcer in the Underworld.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Persephone chews out Hades for making light of Iolaus's angst over his father.
- You Owe Me: Hercules reminds Hades of helping work things out with Demeter so that he could be with Persephone half a year. Persephone agrees with Hercules and insists that Hades help.
